A Midsummer Night's Dream

Set in ancient Athens, the play begins as Duke Theseus prepares for his wedding to Hippolyta. The peace is interrupted by Egeus, who demands his daughter, Hermia, marry Demetrius instead of her true love, Lysander. Hermia and Lysander flee into the woods, followed by Demetrius and the lovestruck Helena. Unbeknownst to them, the forest is the domain of the Fairy King, Oberon, and his Queen, Titania, who are arguing over a changeling boy. Seeking revenge, Oberon instructs his sprite, Puck, to use a magical flower juice on Titania’s eyes, causing her to fall in love with the first creature she sees. Simultaneously, Oberon orders Puck to intervene in the human lovers' dispute. Puck, however, mistakenly applies the potion to both Lysander and Demetrius, causing them both to abandon Hermia and pursue Helena. Meanwhile, a group of "Mechanicals"—local craftsmen—rehearse a play in the same woods. Puck transforms the lead actor, Bottom, by giving him the head of an ass, which causes the magically-enchanted Titania to fall hopelessly in love with him. As chaos reigns, Oberon eventually grows weary of the trickery. He commands Puck to reverse the spells, restoring the lovers' original bonds and freeing Titania from her infatuation. The play concludes with a triple wedding and the Mechanicals’ disastrously funny performance, reconciling the human, natural, and supernatural worlds.